


here we go; head first and no regrets

by pringlealltheway



Category: Ghostbusters (2016)
Genre: Christmas Fluff, F/F, Holtzbert Secret Santa, Hurt/Comfort, Mutual Pining, Swimming Pools
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-01
Updated: 2018-01-01
Packaged: 2019-02-26 12:49:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,764
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13236087
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pringlealltheway/pseuds/pringlealltheway
Summary: The Ghostbusters' Christmas celebrations are interrupted by a call to a school where danger lurks beneath the surface.  Amidst the chaos, Erin and Holtz are forced to take the plunge- in more ways than one.





	here we go; head first and no regrets

**Author's Note:**

  * For [RegisteredHearse](https://archiveofourown.org/users/RegisteredHearse/gifts).



> Happy holidays to my Holtzbert Secret Santa giftee, RegisteredHearse! Your art is so good, it's seriously intimidating. I knew I couldn't compare, so I tried to write you something instead. It's my first fic ever, so that's why it took me so long- sorry! I hope it was worth the wait! This experience has only increased my deep respect for fanfiction writers. I have no idea how you guys find the time to do this. Thank you. 
> 
> Thanks to my super cool wife for beta-ing this for me; I promise I'll hang out with you again now that I'm done with this!
> 
> The title is taken from Walk the Moon's Aquaman, which kept coming into my head as I wrote this. 
> 
> Anyway, hope you enjoy!
> 
> ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

It was the evening of December 25th, and the Ghostbusters were spending Christmas at the Firehouse. Abby was washing up the dishes from their Chinese food feast. Holtz was bent over behind the tree, fiddling with the wiring of the lights.

 

"They need to be about 20% brighter,” she had said, before diving under the rim of the pine needles. Erin was on the couch, musing over a steamy mug of cocoa. She pushed a marshmallow around the rim of the cup and watched it melt. This was so much better than spending Christmas at home with her parents, who always seemed to find a way to be disappointed by the holiday. Erin had a feeling that it had less to do with the festivities and more to do with their failed expectations, but this Christmas was different; she had blamed work for her inability to take time off. Her parents didn't need to know that in fact, the phones had been put on hold for the holiday. Kevin didn't seem to know either, and sat patiently by the phone while he "knitted" with the plastic potholder loom he had found in his stocking that morning.

 

It had only been a few months since the near-apocalypse of New York City, and since then the Ghostbusters team had been in high demand. The chance to have a real break, especially a holiday, was a treat- even if Holtz had woken everyone up at the crack of dawn to see if “Santa” had come. Erin was initially peeved and yawning, but she soon realized Holtz was far less concerned with receiving gifts than she was with giving them, and just couldn’t wait to watch everyone open their stockings, which she had taken on the job of stuffing. It really was quite charming. In fact, plenty of things about Holtz had seemed charming recently, which was both terribly inconvenient and a little bit exhilarating. Erin would just about go full-on ghost before admitting to the other members of the team that her feelings for a certain blonde engineer were growing beyond a basic crush. Erin was a scientist, and she knew significant differences when she saw them. This was no casual infatuation...she was hooked, line and sinker. Sooner or later she would have to do something about it- but the thought of taking any action left her feeling paralyzed. At any rate, she was looking forward to spending a few days with Holtz without the pressures of work getting in the way. There was a lot she didn’t know about Jillian Holtzmann, and she was curious to find out. Curious about a lot of things, like how soft her cheeks felt... if she had any secret tattoos…what it would be like to feel Holtz whispering in her ear, maybe-

 

“See something you like?” Holtz smirked.

 

With a start, Erin realized she had been absentmindedly staring at Holtz’s behind. She blinked her eyes quickly, attempting to clear her face of the dreamy, glazed-over look she was falling into more and more often these days.

 

“I know, the best present of all is my presence,” Jillian smiled wickedly. “But sadly, you’ll have to share me with the others. I’m a hot commodity.”

 

“I- uh- sorry, I was just zoning out...wondering how my parents are doing today without me,” Erin blurted out, trying to control the heat seeping into her face. _Way to take a chance, Gilbert_ , she berated herself internally. “Honestly, they’re probably happier that I’m not there,” she added hastily. Holtz’s face softened a bit, and her eyes darkened with something Erin couldn’t quite place.

 

“Their loss, Er. I’m really glad you’re here to celebrate with us. It wouldn’t have been the same without you. You’re our family now. Or mine, at least.”

 

 _Oh god,_ Erin thought. _What does that mean?_ She was just about to try and ask Holtz about her family when Patty swaggered over towards the tree.

 

"Ok ladies, this morning’s stockings were great and everything, but I wanna get to the juicy gifts!" Patty exclaimed brightly. "Ooh, I can't wait to find out what's in all these boxes."

 

Kevin played the role of the present elf, wearing his red and green jingle bell hat and pulling packages out from under the tree to distribute them to the team members.

 

“Can’t we just open them all at the same time?” Abby asked, impatiently shaking one of her boxes. Patty winced a little, leading Erin to guess that that particular box was Patty’s gift to Abby, and was also apparently very fragile.

 

“We went over the rules before,” Erin chided. “We open them one at a time and show everyone what we received. Gift opening is more fun when we take the time to appreciate each other.”

 

“Well, _I’d appreciate_ if we could get started,” said Patty.

 

“Me first!” Holtz clamored. “Pattycakes, see that little green box? That’s from me! Open it!”

 

“I’d never have guessed,” Patty smirked, holding up a box wrapped in fluorescent green paper. It was held together with what appeared to be electrical tape and had a tag that read “CAUTION: DO NOT OPEN UNTIL CHRISTMAS OR CONTENTS MAY EXPLODE.”

 

Despite its questionable wrapping, the gift turned out to be a small pair of earrings made from vintage NYC subway tokens. Holtz had made them herself after finding them in one of her favorite thrift shops. Patty thanked her sincerely and immediately started to remove her hoops so she could try them on.

 

“Ok, now Patty gets to pick who goes next,” said Erin.

 

The gift extravaganza continued on for the better part of the evening. Highlights included a crock pot for Abby, a 3D printing pen for Holtz, and a handheld clothing steamer for Erin, who got a merciless teasing from Holtz and Abby but thanked Patty profusely. Kevin was delighted to receive a battery-operated chocolate milk stirring mug that mooed when you squeezed the handle.

 

“Thanks, Boss!” Kevin said to Erin. “I can’t wait to bring you your morning coffee in this.” Erin sighed. She’d try to explain it again later.

 

They were just getting down to a few final packages under the tree when the phone suddenly rang.

 

“Aww, Kevin! Didn’t I tell you to forward the phone?” Abby moaned.

 

“I sure did, Boss! It’s facing forward now. Actually, I moved my whole desk to face towards the door,” Kevin said proudly, flexing his biceps.

 

“Oh, Kev, that’s not the same thing,” Holtz sweetly admonished.

 

“Sorry boss, I’ll fix it right away!” Kevin said, and dashed for the phone.

 

“Nononono-!” the ladies cried out, but it was too late.

 

“Merry Christmas from the Ghostbusters, how can we be of service?” Kevin answered brightly.

 

Erin put her hands in her face and groaned, praying that it was only a crank call. From Kevin’s mmhms and yeps, it didn’t sound like it.

 

“Boss,” Kevin whispered loudly, without covering the receiver, “It’s about a pool party or something?”

 

“In December? Give me that,” Abby snapped, snatching the phone out of his hands. “Yes, Hello, this is Dr. Abigail Yates of the Ghostbusters…… I see…...oh, geez….okay…….uh, well, I’ll have to confer with my colleagues. Could you hold, please? No, no, I assure you it will only be a moment. Please, ma’am. Yes, I understand...I-... Yes, bu- MA’AM. Give me a minute, _please_!”

 

Erin looked at Abby with a face that said _"Please don’t do this to us on a holiday,"_ but she knew what was coming.

 

“Well, guys, this sounds really bad. This high school’s pool is being haunted by a ghost who, from the sounds of it, is trying to flood the whole building. We’re talking massive property damage if we don’t take this call. I know it’s a holiday, but ...it’s a school. Those kids deserve a safe place to learn.”

 

“Schools have libraries,” said Patty, “so I’m in.”

 

“Fine,” said Erin. “But when we get back, I get dibs on the first shower.”  

 

“It’s a ghostbusting Christmaaaaaaaas!” Holtz shouted, grabbing her polyester Santa hat and running over to the cubbies where they kept their gear.

 

In a matter of minutes, their cozy Christmas came apart in a flurry of preparation. They piled into the hearse, Erin snagging the passenger seat in an effort to sit next to Holtz. She’d take any excuse to get near the mad scientist, but Holtzmann was also a terrible driver and the backseat tended to make Erin sick.

 

“Where to?” Holtz asked, as Erin gave her a pointed look that said _"seatbelt!"_

 

“Griffith High School, in Queens,” said Erin, plugging it into her phone’s GPS.  

 

“And step on it!” added Patty from the back. “Let’s hope traffic’s light tonight, being Christmas and all.”

 

“On Ecto, on Spectre, on Slimer, on Gilbert!” Holtz shouted, turning the engine on and pushing several buttons, including the siren, which came to life with a bright whoop. Erin glared at her. Holtz reached over and playfully ruffled her hair. “Looks like someone woke up on the wrong side of the mistletoe.” Erin tried to look mad, but got a bit distracted at the thought of a teasing Holtz waiting coyly under the mistletoe. She tried to shake the image, but it was temptingly persistent.

 

"Patty, whattaya got for us?"  Abby shouted to be heard over the siren.

 

"Ok, so this is pretty rough," Patty said, poring over her tablet. "Last week, this school hosted a swim team meet, and a kid drowned. He was in the middle of a race when something spooked him and he started swimming all nutty. He crashed head-first into the wall at the deep end of the pool, and the impact was so severe that he died in the hospital that night."

 

"Oh my god," said Erin. "That's awful. I feel like we would have heard about that on the news..."

 

"Yeah, he didn't go to this school," Patty explained, reading on. "He was from somewhere upstate. Had won all kinds of records and stuff."

 

"Sounds like we've got our ghost story," Abby said flatly. "Something tells me that busting this one won't be much fun."  

 

With a skid, the Ecto-1 screeched into a parking spot.

 

"Holtz, this space is reserved for the Principal!" admonished Erin. Holtz merely turned around in her seat and winked in a way that made the back of Erin’s neck tingle. She tried to ignore it.

 

"Well, this Principal won't have much of a school left to preside over if these ghosts have anything to say about it." added Abby. "From what I got over the phone, the ghost is trying to flood the school and pipes are bursting everywhere."

 

"Man, this sounds really unsafe," said Patty. "Holtzy, are you sure it's ok for your mad scientist junk to get wet?"

 

"Nope," said Holtz, popping the "p" with more cheer than really seemed appropriate.

 

“You should probably leave your Santa hat in the car, Jill,” Erin pointed out.

 

“Why? You don’t think it’s cute?” Holtz said, with a gleam in her eye. Erin coughed unexpectedly and got out of the car in a hurry.

 

They had barely pulled the trunk rack out when a harried looking woman teetered down the school's front steps, clutching a megaphone. Erin noticed that she appeared to be vaguely glistening, but as the woman hobbled closer, she realized with a pang of pity what had happened. She was all too familiar with the look (and unfortunately, the feeling) of semi-dried ectoplasm. The upside, however, meant this woman had encountered a ghost in person and might have some useful information.

 

"Thank god you're here. I didn't know who else to call," the woman wheezed. "Cathy Mullins, Vice Principal," she added hastily. "I don't even know where to start. We've never seen anything like this. I wasn't even sure I believed in them until one hurled all over me this morning."

 

"Abby filled us in a bit," said Erin, wincing as she caught a whiff of the now-crusty goop. "We understand there was a fatal accident on your campus last week. We're so sorry. We know this must be awful for your students and faculty."

 

"It is," Cathy said, "and to make matters worse, now the school district is about to be sued by the boy’s parents. They have other parents from their school backing them up on it. They're saying something fishy happened during the meet."

 

Holtz sniggered a bit at the unintended pun. "What sort of fishiness, exactly?"

 

Patty jabbed her in the side and she stood up straighter.  

 

"Tony's parents claim they saw someone in the pool just before the accident happened,” Cathy continued. “They said a suspicious person followed him into the water. They think that's what spooked him."

 

"What?" squawked Abby. "That doesn't make any sense. Someone hiding under the water, just to mess with the results of a high school swim meet? Nobody would do that, even if they could hold their breath that long."

 

"Ghosts don't need to hold their breath," countered Holtz. Cathy shivered.

 

"Had anything like this ever come up before?" Erin asked.

 

"Unfortunately, yes. Our students had been complaining that strange things were happening around the pool, like flickering lights, and random cold spots in the water. Last month one of the diving boards split during swim team practice. Some of the students on the team even stopped showing up to practice because they said they felt a creeping sense of dread anytime they got close. The whole facility was brand new, so we figured they were just imagining things. You know how kids make rumors up and they spread. Our coach feels terrible about how dismissive he was."

 

"And then the accident happened," said Patty, gravely.

 

"Yes," Cathy said. "Of course we canceled the rest of the swim season, and all PE classes in the pool. We didn’t want to draw any more attention to the incident, and the students needed time to heal. We locked the doors to the pool to keep the press and suspicious parents from snooping around, but the inside was unmonitored. This evening around 5 pm, we got a call from the overnight security guard. Somehow the pool had overflowed and was spilling out through the locked doors. By the time we got an emergency plumber onsite, the bathroom faucets were overflowing too, and all the sprinklers were going off. I was just finishing dinner with my family when they reached me- Principal Jeffers is skiing in New Hampshire- and I came here right away. I grabbed the master keys out of his desk and went to unlock the pool doors and… that's when I saw it."

 

"A ghost?" Abby and Erin clamored in unison.

 

"I’m no expert, but I think so, yes. He was floating around the top of the bleachers and as soon as he saw me he swooped down and hit me with this revolting gunk. It got in my eyes and I couldn't see clearly, but it looked like he dove into the pool and went down the drain, I think. And, I know this might sound crazy, but he was … green?"

 

"That's definitely our specter," said Erin, gripping a hair elastic between her teeth as she pulled her hair into a ponytail. "Ladies, let's grab our packs before this school's underwater."

 

"Please," begged Patty, “I can barely feel my toes in this cold, and Miss Cathy here's gonna turn into a freakin' Ecto-icicle if we don't get her inside soon. Holtzy, can you grab some towels from the trunk?"

 

"But those are mine..." Erin whined under her breath.

 

“Don’t worry, hot stuff,” Holtz said as she sauntered back to the vehicle. “We won’t mind if you have to strip down. Besides, I can think of something that’ll warm you up.”

 

“Jillian!” Erin huffed, feeling her cheeks immediately flushing. She wasn’t sure what Holtz was insinuating, but it made something inside her squirm. She tried not to think about it, but it only made her creeping thoughts feel more obvious.

 

“Relax, Gilbert. You’re redder than Rudolph. I was talking about hot chocolate.”

 

“Cut the crap, Doctor Flirt,” snapped Abby. “We’re on a call here. Ms. Mullins, lead the way.”

 

"I'll take you in through the old wing," Cathy offered. "It doesn't have a sprinkler system, so it's a lot drier than the new addition."

 

"Hey, whatever keeps us warmer," Patty agreed. "What part is the pool in?"

 

"It's in the old wing too," said Cathy, "but it was renovated last summer. The students held bake sales for two years to help cover some of the costs. They were so excited to reopen it. Now I'm not sure it's going to be salvageable." She gave a brittle exhale and pulled open the stately doors.

 

The hallways flickered with a sickly light, revealing in flashes what appeared to be just a normal old high school, although some of the lockers lining the halls had been busted open. Papers and books lay scattered all over the floor, sopping wet as trails of water trickled down the hallway. The building was deserted, but it hummed with a nervous energy. The team plodded down the hall. Cathy reluctantly followed, chirping directions to her office.

 

“How old is this school again, Patty?” Abby asked, looking up at a leak in the ceiling that was dripping something with a chemical smell.

 

“1920’s. It was a boys’ academy for a few years until it went bankrupt, and then clearly it became a public school at some point.”

 

“1931,” Cathy chimed in. “We’ve been co-ed ever since.”

 

They reached the administrative offices and Cathy gulped before dashing inside to grab her purse and a large ring of keys attached to a massive plastic tag stamped with the words _PROPERTY OF GRIFFITH ADMIN OFFICE_ , which she handed to Erin.

 

“This is a set of master keys that will let you into anywhere in the school. I know there are a lot, but they’re labeled and grouped by section.”

 

“See, sometimes it pays to be organized,” Erin clucked self-righteously. Holtz gently reached for her arm, trying to pull the keys closer for a better look.

 

“Which ones are for the pool?”

 

“These new ones here, with the blue P on them, although we left the doors open, so I doubt you’ll need them,” Cathy offered. “The pool’s locker room keys are the tinier ones, marked G and B. If that’s all you need, I’ll be at home trying to get this goo off.”

 

“Baking soda helps,” Erin advised. “But don’t use soap. Just trust me.”

 

“Thanks,” Cathy grimaced. “I wish you the best of luck, for your sake and our school’s.”

 

Just like that, the Ghostbusters were alone in a very wet, and very haunted school.

 

“I think it’s best if we split up,” said Abby. “Patty, you and I will start checking the bathrooms on each floor. This ghost could easily be traveling through the pipes, so we’ll have to check all faucets and drains.”

 

“Guess that leaves you and me, Ghost Girl," Holtz smirked, “Let’s kick it.”

 

“Don’t forget to stay on the radio!” Abby yelled over her shoulder as she and Patty took off down the hall.

 

Erin shivered, unsure if it was from the chill in the air or the fear of what was to come. She fell in step behind Holtz and followed signs for the pool. She moved cautiously, hoping that she wouldn’t do anything embarrassing. She always seemed to miss a shot or slip in a puddle of goo right in front of her.

 

“Sorry you got stuck with me again,” Erin said sheepishly.

 

“I’m not sorry,” Holtz said softly. “I’d pick Team Gilbert any day. Besides,” she added, turning towards Erin,  “you look like a strong swimmer.”

 

“I loved swimming when I was a kid,” Erin mused. “I was pretty good at it, too, but I never went out for the swim team or anything. I knew that even if I made it, the other kids would have teased me off of the team.” Holtz gave her a sympathetic look.  

 

“But I did spend most of my summers at the pool at my grandparents’ community center,” she went on. “They would give Abby and me their passes, and we would spend all day there. Abby wasn’t into competitive swimming, but she would time me on laps, or holding my breath. She used to critique my dives and pretend to be an Olympic commentator. It was hilarious. I wasn’t as good at diving, but it made her commentary even funnier.” She smiled, remembering how great it had been finally having a friend to spend her summers with.

 

A laugh bubbled up from her throat, another memory coming to mind. “The best part, though, was when we’d go to the snack bar. Abby would pick a fight with this pimply teenage cashier, Bertie, and I - oh my god, I can’t believe I’m still embarrassed about this- I would _steal a lime_ from the bar while he was distracted.” She sniggered to herself, laughing at the memory. “You know, because limes sink. They were the only fruit we could go diving for. We’d take turns timing the other on retrievals in the deep end.”

 

Holtz cracked a smile. “Thank you for trusting me with your scandalous lime confessions.”

 

“Thanks for not turning me into the authorities,” Erin joked back. “What about you? Did you swim a lot when you were a kid?”

 

“No,” Holtz answered back, somewhat glumly. “I, uh…” she scratched the back of her head and looked down at her boots. Suddenly, a thought came to Erin that gave her pause.

 

“Jill, are you afraid of the water?” Erin asked, trying to mask her surprise, but still coming off more judgemental than she meant it to.

 

“No, I’m - well, not exactly. I- eeeh.” Holtz exhaled between her closed teeth. She was teetering on the edge of saying something when their radios crackled to life.

 

_“Hey team. It’s seriously wet up here - the sprinklers are going crazy. We’ve turned the packs off for the time being and covered them with trash bags we found in the janitor’s closet. I’d suggest you do the same if you can find some down there. We’ve checked the boys’ and girls’ bathrooms on the first floor, and we’re heading upstairs now. Abby out.”_

 

“Sounds like they’re making good time. We’d better hurry,” Holtz said hastily, picking up the pace. Erin could tell she was anxious for a change of subject. But if Holtz was afraid of water, this could turn out to be a difficult bust.

 

They rounded the corner, and there were the heavy metal doors to the pool, swinging wide open. Inside, the only light came from the gleam of the submerged pool lights, shining a bright blue. The tile surrounding the swimming pool was splattered heavily with water, yet strangely the pool itself was only filled to about the 3ft mark. It didn’t look right with all the water missing- it was like a creepy, glowing bathtub.

 

She was surprised to feel Holtzmann grab her hand as they crossed the threshold and stepped onto the dimly lit pool deck. The shallow puddles made tiny splishing sounds under their rubber boots.

 

Erin steeled herself and turned to her companion, whose bright blue eyes wavered with uncertainty.

 

“Erin, I have to tell you something,” Holtz said, gearing up for what was clearly a difficult admission. Erin’s heart sped up. _Could this be it?_ Erin wondered, for a split second, before Holtz’s actual reply stopped her train of thought dead in its tracks.

 

“I don’t know how to swim.”

 

“Really?” Erin replied, somewhat dumbstruck. Jillian Holtzmann, self-taught queen of confidence, who tried reckless new things without a second thought, had never learned how to swim?

 

“I just never really had the chance to learn. My parents weren’t exactly around to teach me, and the boarding school I ended up at never had any sort of swimming requirement. I was able to get through four years of PE without taking swim courses, and that was that.” She stared down at her feet, toeing a puddle. “It’s kind of a sore spot.”

 

“Oh, Jill. That’s understandable. I’m sorry. God, I hope I didn’t make you feel bad by going on about my swimming skills. I wasn’t really that great, anyway,” she hedged, feeling foolish.

 

“No,” replied Holtz. “I’m glad you’re a good swimmer. I just wanted you to know in case something happens.”

 

Erin's eyes met Holtzmann’s. She held eye contact silently, trying to give the blonde her best supportive look. In the midst of Holtz’s confession, she had forgotten they were still holding hands. She gave her hand a squeeze before letting go.

 

“I’m happy to help look out for you for a change,” she said. She reached behind to her pack and pulled out her PKE meter. The neon wand lay still and pale. “Nothing yet. Let’s try and sweep the area, I guess? We can stay together if you prefer.” Holtz merely nodded and followed Erin as she began to walk the perimeter of the pool. “I guess if we don’t find anything, we should check the locker rooms.”

 

“Uh, Erin,” Holtz started, “Does the water level look higher to you?”

 

The PKE meter lit up and began to whir slowly, gradually speeding up and glowing brighter. Erin looked into the pool. The water was at the 4.5 ft mark now, and rising steadily. A gurgling noise began to emanate from the center of the pool, where a slight whirlpool was beginning to form.

 

“Oh, crap.” Holtzmann said, her eyes growing fearful. “Okay, I’m turning my pack on.”

 

“Flip me on too,” Erin commanded, and soon felt the whir of the machinery on the small of her back. The room was illuminated with the red glow of their packs’ cyclotrons for a brief moment before a bright green glow washed them out. The center of the pool was practically foaming now, and the sickly green glow was coming from the center. Slowly, a figure rose from the swirling rapids. It was green, distinctly male, and looked furious.

 

“Is it okay to shoot at him in the water?” Erin shouted over the roar of the churning water.  

 

“I’m not sure! I think we’d better try to lure him out!” Holtz shouted back. “Hey _pool float_! Over here!” She waved her proton gun at the ghost and headed for the top of the bleachers. The ghost screeched and swooped towards her, but stayed within the confines of the pool basin. Erin saw her reach for her sidearm gun and shoot some streams into the air surrounding the ghost, who swerved around the shots in terror and rage. He looked young- but odd. His haircut was clean and neat and parted extremely far to the side. He had an old-fashioned face, and was wearing what Erin could only describe as a tank top leotard. He looked like a swimmer- but from long, long ago.

 

The ghastly swimmer let out an ear-splitting shriek as Holtz’s beam struck a floodlight, severing the cord and plunging it into the pool with a violent splash. That was the last straw for the specter, who lunged towards the bleachers, dripping ectoplasm and pool water in his wake. For a ghost, he didn’t move very efficiently- he lumbered with a heavy weight, almost like he was struggling to breathe- not that ghosts did breathe, as Holtz had pointed out much earlier. He clawed his way towards the top of the stands. Holtz turned to run to the top, but her wet boots must have slipped, as she fell abruptly, landing on her back between two of the risers.

 

Erin remembered her radio and grabbed it from her belt. Holding it so close to her mouth she could feel her lips scrape the mouthpiece, she rattled off a message to Abby and Patty: " _Come in, Ghostbusters. We found our ghost. We need backup in the pool. Over."_

 

The ghost heard the static of Erin’s radio, and her amplified voice as the call copied over Holtz’s, and he turned sharply, changing course and heading directly for Erin.

 

“Erin, look out!” Holtz called, but she was already running alongside the pool, to the farthest corner of the natatorium. She had hoped she might be able to lure the ghost out of the water, and it was working. The moment he rose up in the air, coasting above the pool’s edge, he was struck from behind with an electrifying beam from Holtzmann’s stun gun. The ghost howled with rage and surprise. Erin scrambled for her proton shotgun and pressed the power up button, but as she looked up she realized with horror that the ghost had turned back to face its aggressor, and was speeding towards Holtz at the top of the bleachers once again. Holtzmann was trying her hardest to move back down to the ground, but she couldn’t get there fast enough. Despite the spirit’s sluggishness, he was gaining on her. Erin couldn’t even manage a warning before he had grabbed Holtz by the ankle and yanked her up towards the ceiling.

 

“JILL!” Erin screamed as a cold shock ran through her body. She stood frozen in place as she watched him wave Holtz around wildly like a limp rag. As he flung her around erratically, her proton pack slipped off and collided with the nearest tiled wall, then fell to the ground with a smash.

 

The ghost began to head for the still-foaming center of the pool. When he had reached the epicenter of the whirlpool, he plunged Holtz’s struggling body into the heart of the pool. Erin’s heart stopped. He had Jillian under the water and she couldn’t shoot for fear of electrifying her. She felt helpless as she watched the ghost pull her up again, sputtering and disoriented. Just as soon as she had come up, taking huge, ragged gulps of air, he had submerged her again. Erin knew that if she didn’t do something soon, Holtz would drown.

 

“It’s not gonna end like this,” Erin swore, through gritted teeth. “You’re not taking her from me today!” She cast off her proton pack and flung it aside. She pulled off her boots faster than she thought she could, then swiftly grabbed the zipper at the top of her jumpsuit and pulled it down as far as her hips before scrunching the fabric down around her ankles and off of her feet. The cool air prickled at her bare arms and legs. Erin had been slimed on so many busts that she didn’t bother wearing clothes under her jumpsuit anymore. They were just bound to be ruined by the ectoplasm, and so, as usual, she had stripped down that day before donning her uniform. At any other time, Erin would have been embarrassed beyond belief to be seen wearing nothing but her underwear and Holtz’s swiss army knife on a chain around her neck. In this moment, she didn’t even think twice. She simply put her hands above her head and took a neat, quiet dive into the deep end of the pool, smooth enough to go unnoticed by the ghost.

 

The pool was far colder than she expected, and the shock gave her an adrenaline boost. She held her breath and swam towards the swirling center of the pool. The bubbles made it hard to see, but all she could think about was getting to Holtz. Taking care not to get too close, she popped her head above the surface and immediately started shouting at the specter.

 

“I don’t care WHO YOU ARE,” she bellowed, “You’d better let her go or I’ll make you REGRET IT!”

 

The ghost turned around with a sneer and fixed its glowing eyes on Erin. He stormed towards her, as expected, Holtzmann still dangling from his tight grip on her foot. “Erin...don’t…” she groaned weakly, but Erin was already back underwater, darting across the pool with that same ease she remembered from those many summers past. Her lithe figure made her an ideal swimmer, and it felt good to be back in the water, feeling her muscle memory spring into action. As she neared the opposite wall of the pool, she shot out of the water. She was glad to see that the ghost had its back to her and was still trudging toward where she had last come up for air. She noticed that the water level was now once more overflowing the pool.

 

“I’m over here now, you SOGGY SLOWPOKE!” she taunted. _God, Erin, is that the best you’ve got?_ she thought to herself. Luckily, the ghost was still plenty offended, and charged towards her once more, dropping Holtz in the process. Erin’s eyes saw her plunge below the water line and she dove back in, headed straight for her. She soon realized, however, that to get to Holtz she’d have to swim right past the ghost- much closer to the monster than she could safely manage. She changed course quickly and headed alongside the short end of the pool, where a plastic buoy divider stretched across, cordoning off a practice lane. Moving quickly, she flipped open Holtz’s swiss army knife and cut the plastic rope, freeing the line to float into the center of the pool. She spotted Holtz down at the other end of the pool struggling to tread water, with a frantic look of panic in her eyes.

 

“Jill, grab on!” she cried, as the plastic bobbed closer and closer to the frenetic engineer, who moved towards it with frenzied arm strokes, desperately trying to keep her head above the water. When she saw Holtz finally grasp the string of buoys and begin to pull herself towards the edge, she breathed a sigh of relief before ducking below the water once more. They had to get out of the water or there would be no way to fight this ghost. She swam as fast as she could, practically torpedoing to the ladder at the other short end of the pool. She passed Jillian on the way and slung her arm around her waist, helping to pull her the final few feet to the metal ladder. Abandoning all pretense, she threw her arms around her and squeezed as tight as she could. Holtz coughed up a bit of water, and wheezed, slumping onto Erin’s shoulders.

 

“Jill, I’ve got you. You’re okay. You’re okay. We can do this. Listen, I know you’re exhausted, but I need you to figure out where the pool drain valve and pump are. Get out of here and do whatever you have to do to drain the pool, okay? I’ll keep him occupied. Now go! Go!”

 

Holtz gave her a slightly dazed look that Erin couldn’t quite place, before snapping her head back towards the ghost. Her eyes widened with purpose and she scrambled up the ladder sloppily, running over the flooded tiles towards the locker rooms. She turned back around to see Erin once more, but she had already disappeared several feet below the surface, looking for anything that might indicate where the main drain was. She headed towards the deep end of the pool and swam further down, feeling the pressure on her eardrums, amplified by the pounding of her heart.

 

In the eerie silence at the bottom of the pool, she squinted through the water, trying to spot anything drainlike. In her concentration, she didn’t feel the ghost come up behind her. She only noticed with horror that he was right behind her when the water turned a bright green. _I’m done for_ , she thought, when something else caught the spectre’s attention and he sped away, casting Erin into a violent current. In the turbulence, she scraped her elbow on the concrete bottom of the pool. It took her a second to recognize the dark streaks in the water for blood. She didn’t have time to worry about that now, though- what was happening above the surface? She was 11 feet deep. The seconds it took her to resurface felt like minutes; she could have sworn for a moment that she was swimming in honey. As she desperately kicked upward, terrible thoughts filled her head. She frantically pushed higher, and as she neared the surface she could hear muffled shouts. Red light flickered overhead. As her head cleared the waterline, she heard a sound that brought her a sense of instant relief:

 

“WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY FRIENDS, GHOST?” Patty hollered. “IF YOU HURT THEM I’M GONNA KILL YOU!”

 

“He’s already dead, Patty! Focus!” Abby countered, scanning the room for signs of her teammates. Erin raised her arms and gestured furiously, trying to catch her attention. Their eyes locked, and Erin could see the relief on Abby’s face. Erin raised a finger to her lips so quickly she smacked herself in the teeth a little. Abby nodded and held her gaze. Erin mouthed “GET THE TRAP,” and pointed towards Holtz’s silver duffle, still sitting on the first row of bleachers. Abby grabbed it, grabbed Patty, and started to crawl behind the bleachers.

 

 _Okay, Erin,_ she thought to herself. _One last race._

 

“Hey, you wet loser!” she jeered, “Don’t forget about me!” With a huge breath, she dunked underwater again. With a push off from the wall, she sped diagonally across the pool with ease, gliding through the water like a minnow. With a quick push of her forearms, she was out of the water and scurried behind the bleachers where her friends were huddled.

 

“Erin! Thank god you’re okay. What happened? Where’s Holtz?” Abby pleaded.

 

“Girl, why are you _naked_?” Patty blurted out, trying to suppress a laugh. Abby jabbed her in the side with a look that said _Keep quiet!_ Erin let out a small whine, thinking of her clothes all the way over on the opposite bleachers. She shivered as her now drenched lavender lace bra and underwear began to chill in the cool air. She hadn’t expected to go on a bust today and had relished the chance to wear something nicer under her sweater vest. _How embarrassing._ _At least they match_ , she thought.

 

“I don’t have time to explain” she began, “agh, just - get the ghost trap!” she stammered. “Abby, you keep your eye on him. We can’t shoot him in the water,” she explained, “so we’ll have to try and lure him out.”

 

“Okay,” Abby nodded. “But where’s Holtz?”

 

“Trying to find the master drain pump,” Erin said. Looking down at her feet, she noticed the water had receded. She peered out from under the metal rows of risers. The water level was definitely decreasing. “Looks like she might have found it.”

 

“Good,” said Abby. “Once the water’s gone, we can fire safely.”

 

“Just be careful,” Erin cautioned. “No running on the pool deck. It’s slippery.”

 

“Okay, _Mom_ ,” Patty teased. “Hey, where’s your proton pack anyway?”

 

“On the other side of the pool,” Erin sighed woefully. “If you can distract him long enough, I can probably get to it.”

 

“Come on, why I always gotta be the ghost bait?” Patty lamented.

 

“Guys,” Abby interjected “the water is below the two-foot mark. I say we go for it.”

 

Patty pulled her proton wand from its holster and nodded. “Let’s kick some ghost ass.”

 

They charged out from behind the bleachers, and Patty immediately lit up the room with a bright red stream.

 

“YO GHOST!” Patty yelled, “WHERE YOU GONNA GO NOW?”

 

The ghost roared and descended towards the two of them, but Abby was ready with the ghost puncher. He let out a wounded shriek and recoiled before somehow growing in size.

 

Erin took the opportunity to slink across the tiled wall, inching closer to her gear. Reaching for her proton pack, she was disappointed to see her jumpsuit and boots were completely soaked. There was no point in putting them back on now- they’d be impossible to maneuver and would only weigh her down. As she strapped the pack on, the metal pressed into her bare skin uncomfortably, scraping along her back. The pack had been left running, though, and the residual heat was welcome. Grabbing hold of her wand, she joined in, training her stream on the ghost along with the other two Ghostbusters. The ghost wriggled under the hold of their weapons, but even with the three of them doing their best, it was difficult to restrain him. Screeching and wailing, he inched closer and closer to the ceiling, where he was trapped.

 

“Keep your streams steady!” Abby shouted over the ghastly racket.

 

“I’m TRYIN’ here!” Patty snapped back. Erin swallowed hard and tried to keep her hands steady. She had no idea how they were going to pull him back down into the trap. If only she had another set of hands to reach for a grenade… she was trying to figure out if she could control her gun with one hand when she saw what looked like a flare shoot through the air.

 

With a whoop, Holtzmann burst through the boys’ locker room door, tiny guns in each hand and firing them off like a madwoman. It was just the distraction they needed. The ghost panicked, and in an attempt to dodge the shots, he dove back down towards the now empty pool basin, but Holtz was one step ahead and had pitched a grenade down into the deep end.

 

“Get ready for a serious poof!” she warned, and seconds later a burst of powder and chlorine-scented mist filled the air. The ghost spun around in fear, clearly disarmed.

 

“NOW!” Erin shouted, and Holtz stepped on the trap. The four of them trained their beams on the specter and with one final grunt, wrestled him in before the trap doors slammed closed with a satisfying clap. It was over.

 

The Ghostbusters all stood silently in the dusty air, breathing heavily and looking at each other with wide-eyed relief. Holtz stumbled over to Erin, and with a tender look pulled her into a very tight hug. She was shaking. Erin froze for a split second before putting her arms around her and drawing her close. She buried her face in the engineer’s sopping curls and took a deep breath, eyes closed. Holtz mostly smelled like pool water, but she didn’t care. This was the closest she’d ever been to the object of her affections, and she was going to relish it.

 

“We’re gonna go take the trap to the car…” Abby said, pulling hard on Patty’s arm with a look that said " _Let’s give them a moment_."

 

“Uh...yeah…” Patty said, catching on and quickly turning to head out.

 

Erin barely heard them, lost in the weight of the moment. How long was too long to hold on? Suddenly she remembered once more that she was wearing next to nothing and pulled back with a start, hoping the darkness would hide the deep blush on her face and chest.

 

“Jill,” she said delicately, “Are you okay? I’m so sorry, I should never have made you come near the water. I can’t believe I put you in so much danger.”

 

“S’okay,” Holtz sniffed. “It had to be done. I wasn’t about to let you face that thing alone. I’m okay, really. Just more humiliated than hurt.” She looked away from Erin. Her eyes were red and swollen.

 

“You’ve been crying,” Erin murmured tenderly. “God, you must have been terrified. I was terrified too _,_ Jill. I just kept thinking what if you didn’t make it...what if you drowned because of me?” Her eyes pooled with tears.

 

Holtz leaned forward, a misty look in her bright blue eyes.

 

“I couldn’t bear the thought of losing you, Jill. There’s so much I...”

 

Erin was unable to finish her thought because Holtz leaned in and captured her lips in a soft kiss. She felt herself gasp into Holtz’s delicate mouth for a second, before giving in to the warmth between them. The cool air surrounding them suddenly felt all the more pronounced, and her skin shivered with goosebumps. Wrapping her arms around Holtz’s waist, she sighed into the kiss as Holtz coaxed her tongue closer. She felt a tingling warmth surge through her body and her hands started to wander. Everything felt slow and hazy, like a fever dream.

 

Holtz was kissing her. Jillian Holtzmann, the subject of her late-night fantasies and languid daydreams, was kissing her. And she was kissing Jillian Holtzmann right back. This was unbelievable. Erin smiled into the kiss without meaning to.

 

With a chuckle, Holtz pulled back. They said nothing, both trying to catch their breath, but Erin could feel that neither of them wanted to break eye contact. Holtz’s blue eyes shimmered with the glow of the pool lights.

 

“I was afraid of you losing me, too,” Holtz confessed. “I’ve been pretty sure for a while now that you were interested in something more than being friends or colleagues, and I was content, waiting for you to figure that out yourself. Even if it took a long time. You were worth waiting for. But when you dove into that pool to try and save me- and _you did_ , Er- I realized I must be worth it to you too. I realized tonight that I didn’t want to wait any longer.”

 

Erin’s eyes were now fully awash with tears. Holtz reached out and wiped a stray tear from Erin’s cheek, brushing a loose strand of her damp hair behind her ear.

 

“Our job is too dangerous,” she continued, clearly struggling to be candid. “You’re too important to me to waste another moment. I know this isn’t the most romantic moment to admit this, but it’s how I feel, and I needed you to know.”

 

“Thank god,” Erin said, exhaling shakily. “It was getting unbearable. I’m terrible at this sort of thing and I had no idea what I was going to do about my feelings. I didn’t think I could wait much longer either. I don’t want to be without you. Now it’s us, together.”

 

“I like that,” said Jillian, taking Erin’s hands in hers. “It feels right.” Erin let loose a small laugh. She looked down at herself, still dripping with cold pool water.

 

“It feels right for our first kiss to be in a high school pool, while I’m half naked?”

 

“If I’m being honest,” Holtz smirked, “It’s better than I imagined it.”

 

Erin felt shy all of a sudden.

 

“I look ridiculous,” she mumbled.

 

“Are you kidding, Er?” Holtz grinned. “Erin Gilbert, my dream girl, fighting ghosts in her underwear. Talk about a fantasy come to life.”

 

Something low in Erin’s stomach twinged. “You really think of me that way?” she asked. “I guess I shouldn’t be so surprised...I might have had a few thoughts about you myself,” she added, and immediately winced with embarrassment.

 

“Oh-HO!” Holtz crowed. “Is that so, Miss Gilbert?”

 

“Ah, crud,” Erin swore. “Come on, let’s get out of here.”

 

“Fine by me," said Holtz, helping Erin shrug off her pack so the physicist could put on her wet jumpsuit. “Don’t think I’ll be going swimming again anytime soon.”

 

“No, Jill- _god, this suit is cold_ \- you need to learn. I’d be happy to teach you.”

 

“Wouldya wear your skivvies again?”

 

“Jillian. I’m serious.”

 

“I am too. You’re selling yourself short, hot stuff. Those tiny bows are dynamite,” she said, pointing a finger at the little ribbon in the center of Erin’s bra and pushing her playfully. Erin gave her arm a swat.

 

“Help me get these boots on?” she asked. “My hands keep slipping.” She reached for Holtz’s hand, and the engineer pulled her up. Using Holtz’s arm for balance, she stepped into the boots. Holtz laced one while she did the other. More than ready to leave this nightmare pool behind, she gripped Holtz’s hand.

 

“Ready?” she said, looking to her partner with a smile.

 

“Ready,” Holtz replied, and Erin could tell from her grin that they weren’t just talking about heading home. “Let’s get this show on the road.”

 

They walked through the halls in silence. Still shaken by their dangerous encounter, they clasped each other's hands tightly. The only noise came from inside Erin’s waterlogged boots, the sodden soles squelching under her feet.

 

“These boots will probably take days to dry out,” she sighed. The jumpsuit clung to her skin, clammy and cold.

 

“Hey, at least you escaped this bust without getting slimed,” Holtz said encouragingly.

 

“Yeah, but we both got totally soaked,” Erin lamented. “On one of the coldest nights of the year, to boot! But I guess you’re right. At least it won’t take as long to shower.”

 

“That’s good,” Holtz hummed, “Because I think I might need some company on the couch when we get back.”

 

“What was that you said about warming up?” Erin said with a sly look.  

 

“Why, Erin, did that ghost affect your memory?” Holtz teased. “Not to worry,” she whispered into the redhead’s ear. “I’m sure I can help you refresh it.”

 

Erin’s radio crackled to life again. _Guys, we’re trying to give you a moment and all, but it’s freezing, it’s nearly midnight on Christmas, and we’d really like to get home and throw this sucker in the containment unit. Are you coming or not?_

 

Erin brought her free hand up to cover her face. Great. So everyone knew about her debilitating crush? How mortifying. Well, she rationalized, at least that saved her a few more awkward confessions to Abby and Patty.

 

Holtz grabbed her radio and signaled back. _Copy that. Cupid and Blitzen are on their way._

 

“Which one am I?” Erin asked.

 

“Cupid,” Holtz replied. “Obviously.”

 

“It’s not obvious to me,” Erin huffed. Holtz just laughed and picked up the pace, pulling a befuddled Erin behind her. They were almost to the main entrance of the school when Holtz stopped short. With a wicked look in her eyes, she pressed Erin up against a row of lockers, her hands snaking around Erin’s waist. Erin’s stomach jumped again and she threw her arms around Holtzmann’s neck, tangling her fingers in her hair as she felt Holtz’s warm mouth close over hers. This kiss was less desperate and more purposeful, and Erin’s knees went weak as she felt Holtz’s hand reach up to cradle her head and pull her in closer. She nipped delicately at Holtz’s lower lip, and was rewarded with a hum of pleasure. Feeling dizzy, she finally was forced to surface for air. Holtzmann wasn’t done, though, and moved down to her neck, giving a nip of her own to the smooth, hot skin. Erin let out a tiny moan, feeling the prick of her teeth, and Holtz placed a finger over her lips before drawing back, her eyes dark and her lips curled into a delicious smile.

 

“Sorry... I couldn’t help myself,” she drawled. “But I promise there’s more where that came from later.”

 

“We’ve got plenty of time,” Erin slurred with a woozy smile. “Besides, I thought you wanted to hear more about those thoughts of mine.”

 

“Oh, believe me, I do,” purred Holtz, pressing their foreheads together and giving her a look of desire and self-satisfaction. “But I think Abby’s about to kick our asses if we don’t haul them outside right now.”

 

“Fair enough,” Erin admitted, before placing a quick peck on Holtz’s cheek and straightening up. Holtz beamed.

 

“You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to kiss you,” she said.

 

“How long?” Erin asked coyly.

 

“Let’s just say that since the day a certain furious physicist stormed into my lab, I’ve felt a _magnetic attraction_ ,” Holtz quipped, but her eyes looked more sincere than the joke suggested.

 

Erin felt a warm sensation spread throughout her body. Holtz was full of surprises today, and all of them wonderful. She couldn’t wait to be alone with her again.

 

“Let’s go home,” Erin concluded.

 

“Agreed,” Holtz replied, taking her hand once more, and pulling her towards the doors.

 

“ATTENTION, ALL!” Holtz shouted as they walked through the doors to the blistering cold outside. “We have emerged, VICTORIOUS!” She raised their clasped hands into the air as Erin rolled her eyes and smiled.

 

Patty clapped sarcastically.

 

“Seriously, though,” Holtz said, tossing her wet hair back with swagger, “Erin and I just did some quality making out in there.”

 

“Jill!” Erin chided, trying to look angry but failing to do so.

 

“Yeah, that’s what we figured, Casanova,” Abby retorted, despite the proud smile on her face. “It’s not like we thought you were swimming laps in there.” She shot Holtz a quick look that said _"finally!"_  and gave Erin a big hug. “I’m glad you got your girl,” she whispered in Erin’s ear.

 

“How did you- ?” Erin said quizzically, pulling back to look at Abby with bewilderment.

 

“I’m your best friend, Erin,” she gloated. “You’re basically an open book to me by now. Look, I’m just really happy for you, okay?”

 

“Thanks, Abby,” she said, returning the hug tightly.

 

“Oof. Get off of me, Slimer. You’re _drenched_ ,” Abby groaned, pushing her off with a loving smile.

 

“I’ll drive home,” Patty volunteered. “I wanna sit in the front seat so I don’t have to see what’s happenin’ in the back.” She threw a ridiculously large wink at Erin, who just about wanted to die.

 

Despite Patty’s teasing, the ride back home was relatively uneventful. Erin and Holtz sat in the backseat, blasting the hot air in an attempt to dry themselves off. They kept stealing glances at each other but remained quiet as Patty chattered on about the history of the school.

 

“I had time to do more research while you goons took your sweet-ass time,” she informed them.

 

“Worth it,” said Holtz, leaning back in her seat smugly.

 

“I think I figured out our ghost swimmer’s deal. It turns out that back in the 20’s, when the school was still all-boys, there was a boy who was drowned by his classmates. It was a huge scandal. I guess he looked so strange because he was from such a long time ago. Man, people’s swimsuits were funky back then.”  

 

“So it was a drowning,” Abby pondered. “No wonder he was trying to flood the school.”

 

“I’m glad that pool is safe again,” Patty said. “But I still wouldn’t swim in it if you paid me.”  

 

“Same,” said Erin, giving Holtz’s knee a supportive squeeze.

 

\--------

 

Back at the firehouse, Holtz, Erin, and Patty were once again settled comfortably around the tree. Kevin had already been asleep upstairs for a while before they had gotten back. Erin had put on her best flannel pajamas (periwinkle blue, with little purple atoms on them) while Holtz stuck to her usual MIT hoodie and plaid pajama pants combo. They were curled up against each other on the couch, while they watched yet another Hallmark Christmas movie concoction. It turned out cheesy movies were a secret weakness of Patty’s, and she couldn’t get enough of them. Abby, on the other hand, thought the plots were hideously contrived and had given up a mere twenty minutes in, trudging off to bed with a half-hearted goodnight. Erin would have watched anything - she was just happy to have an excuse to sit close to Holtzmann for an hour. As the credits rolled to an R&B version of “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas,” Patty yawned dramatically, giving them a significant look.

 

“Oh man, this has been a _long night_ , and I’m ready to hit the sack. You lovebirds goin’ to bed soon, too?”

 

Erin blushed, but Holtz just smiled widely.

 

“Nah, Pattycakes, I think we might have another movie left in us.” She winked at Patty, who gave them an earnest smile and turned to head upstairs.

 

“Well then, Merry Christmas to all, and to all a _real_ good night,” she said with a chuckle.

 

“Good night, Patty,” Erin said admonishingly. “We’ll be up soon.”

 

“Don’t count on it,” Holtz called after her. Patty disappeared upstairs with a hearty laugh.

 

“I really am getting kind of sleepy,” Erin said, trying to suppress a burgeoning yawn.

 

“But I you haven’t opened my present yet,” Holtz objected.

 

“Oh, that’s right,” Erin remembered, smiling shyly. “Well, should I open it now?”

 

“Definitely,” Holtz said, with a twinkle in her eye, jumping off the couch to grab a sparkly silver tube-shaped package from under the tree. It was wrapped like a paper Christmas cracker, with red curling ribbon cinching both ends. It felt unexpectedly solid.

 

“Go on,” Holtz said, sitting on her feet and leaning forward with anticipation. Erin unwrapped the paper delicately, making a mental note of Holtz’s eager expression.

 

“It’s...a cardboard tube?” Erin said, puzzled.

 

“No, look inside,” Holtz instructed her, placing her dainty hands over Erin’s and guiding the tube up so she could peek through. She saw something rolled up inside and pulled it out carefully. As she unrolled the creamy ivory paper, she could see a spherical map of the stars, all in place among the Earth’s gridlines. Beneath the map, crisp navy blue letters spelled out “Times Square, New York City / June 16th, 2015”

 

“It’s a star chart from the night we saved the world,” Holtz explained, a nervous look on her face, climbing back up onto the couch to show her. “It’s what the sky looked like the night that we almost lost you and Abby. When you jumped into the portal after her, I thought I was losing the two most important people in my life. I don’t think I’ve ever been more relieved to see you than when you burst through the doors of the Mercado- except maybe tonight,” she said, her voice almost a whisper.

 

Erin’s eyes scanned the map, remembering how it had felt to cross back through the portal. They had fallen into each other’s arms as soon as she had scrambled to her feet. She had moved toward Jillian on instinct. It was the first time they had embraced. Erin remembered how safe she felt in Holtz’s arms. Her whole body warmed at the thought. She soaked in the thousands of pinpricks, looking at all the stars that had shone down on them. She looked up at Jillian, her eyes shining even brighter, awaiting a response.

 

“I love it,” she said.

 

Holtz’s anxiousness melted into a dazzling smile.

 

“Merry Christmas, Jill,” she said, before leaning towards the beaming blonde.

 

“Merry Christmas, Er,” she said, closing the distance between them with a smile.

 


End file.
